Last Place Impact Upset Revolution

The first place New England Revolution’s five game winning streak and seven game unbeaten run came to a crashing halt in Montreal on Saturday night as the last placed Impact outclassed the Revolution in a 2-0 win. The Impact, who made several changes to their line-up for their third game this week, took the lead in just the third minute through Andrés Romero, and then doubled it through Jack McInerney in the 38th. From there the home side was rarely troubled on their way to just their second victory of the season.

The Revolution (7-4-2, 23 points) remain in first in the East despite the loss, while the Impact (2-6-4, 10 points) are still mired in last.

Head coach Jay Heaps made just one change to the line-up that won 2-1 against D.C. United with Kelyn Rowe returning to the line-up in place of Daigo Kobayashi. With the Revolution struggling, Kobayashi would enter as a sub for Rowe in the 62nd minute.

Just over two minutes into the match Argentine midfielder Andrés Romero gave the Montreal Impact the lead. Romero played a give-and-go with 37-year-old Italian striker Marco Di Vaio and got behind the Revolution defense. Romero ran in on goal and slipped a low shot past Bobby Shuttleworth to the far post to give the Impact an early 1-0 lead.

Montreal continued to have the better of the match and in the 18th minute nearly added a second goal when McInerney lobbed a pass to Di Vaio in the left side of the box. Di Vaio volleyed a shot on frame, but it was too close to Shuttleworth to cause the ‘keeper much trouble.

Two minutes later the Impact broke forward on the attack again. Romero found his way into the left side of the box and with numbers in the area, he attempted to send a pass across goal. Shuttleworth got down to deflect the pass and A.J. Soares managed to clear the ball out of the box.

The Impact took a 2-0 lead in the 38th minute after a long range shot from Issey Nakajima-Farran was saved by Shuttleworth. The Revolution ‘keeper couldn’t hold the ball and gave up a bad rebound that an onrushing McInerney was able to put it into the empty net for an easy goal.

Di Vaio then nearly made it 3-0 in first half stoppage time, after he beat the Revolution offside trap and ran in alone on goal. Di Vaio dribbled around an onrushing Shuttlworth, but Soares got back just in time to slide in and block his attempt on goal to keep the deficit at two going into the break.

New England finally tested Montreal’s Troy Perkins in the 54th minute on a solo effort from Rowe. Rowe dribbled all the way from beyond midfield to just outside the box before powering a shot on frame. The ball was right at Perkins, but the Impact ‘keeper could only tip it high for a corner kick.

The Revolution struggled to break down the Impact defense, but the visitors had a penalty shout in the 80th minute when Andrew Farrell broke into the box and was tripped up by Montreal defenders. Referee Silviu Petrescu waved off the protests and awarded the Impact a goal kick.

Andy Dorman came close to a late consolation goal for the Revolution in the 90th minute after a well worked short corner kick by the Revolution. Lee Nguyen found Dorman at the top of the box, but the Boston University product’s low, driven shot was just wide of the post.

The Revolution returns home to face the New York Red Bulls on Sunday, June 8th at 5p.m. at Gillette Stadium. The game is New England’s last before MLS takes a three week break for the World Cup.

About Sean Donahue

Sean Donahue serves as an editor and staff writer at New England Soccer Today. He has been covering the New England Revolution since 2002 for various publications. He has covered four MLS Cups, in addition to covering various international matches, including World Cup Qualifying and the CONCACAF Gold Cup. He has done freelance work for the Associated Press and ESPN Boston.
In 2014, Sean co-hosted New England Soccer Weekly on AM 1510 WMEX in Quincy. He hosted Revolution Recap, a weekly radio program covering the New England Revolution and U.S. Men's National Team from 2005-2008. He is a member of the North American Soccer Reporters. Sean can be reached at nesoccertoday@gmail.com or on Twitter @SeanLDonahue